Julia Böttger

About

Julia Böttger — known by her trail running alias Trailschnittchen and later as Julia Zechmeister after marriage — is a German trail running pioneer and one of the sport's most influential voices in German-speaking Europe. Born around 1977 in Lüneburg, northern Germany, she holds a degree in sports science and relocated to Munich before settling in Frasdorf in the Bavarian Alps, where she found the mountains that would shape her athletic career. She won the inaugural Salomon Zugspitz Ultratrail in 2011 — a challenging 101km race with 6,474 metres of elevation gain — completing it in 14:15 and establishing herself immediately in the European ultra-trail scene. She went on to podium at the Diagonale des Fous (3rd, 2012) and at the Estrela Grande Trail in Portugal (1st, 2018). As coaching became her primary focus, she built Trailschnittchen into a respected trail running education and camp business, emphasising technical mountain skills, group experience, and sustained enjoyment over peak performance. She remains a prominent and beloved figure in German trail running culture.

Notable Wins

• — Zugspitz Ultratrail inaugural winner 2011 (14:15)
• — Diagonale des Fous 3rd 2012
• — Estrela Grande Trail 1st 2018

Race History